Sash-balance



(No Model.) A. JOHNSON.

SASH BALANCE. I

No. 456,492. Patented July 21, 1891.

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To all whom it may concern. movement. It was contemplated by my pre- Be it known that AXEL JOHNSON, a citizen vious invention and it has been the practice of Sweden, residing at Oakland, Alameda heretofore to make this spring throughout its county, State of California, have invented an entire length of the same-sized wire or rod. Improvement in Sash-Balances; andlhereby My present invention consists in making declare the following to be a full, clear, and the inner portion of the spring-that is to exact description of the same. say, that portion which returns on the in My invention relates to that class of sashside-of a smallersized wire or rod than the balances in which a spring is let into a bore outer portion. This can be done by making in the sash-rail and actuates and is actuated one portion of a single wire or rod from which 6o by a pinion which engages a rack on the winthe spring is made smaller than the other pordow-casing', said class being exemplified by a tion and returning said smaller portion on the previous patent, No. 433,596, issued August inside; but I prefer to accomplish it by :means 5, 1890, to the Marshall Improved Vindow of a separate piece of wire of smaller size, Furniture Company upon my application. and still maintain the effect of a torsional My present invention consists in a new and spring returned within itself by connecting useful improvement in the spring, and in a the adjacent ends of the two wires either dinovel arrangement providing for a pinion on rectly or by making them bear against one each side of the sash engaging a rack on each another, or preferably, as I have here shown, side of the casing. through the intervention of a sleeve or thim- 7o The objects of these improvements will be ble a, in notches a in which the adjacent hereinafter fully set forth. inner ends of the two wires are fitted, where- Referring to the accompanying drawings by they can be readily secured together and for a more complete explanation of myinvenmake a torsional spring returned within ittion, Figure l is a section of the sash-rail, self, the general eifectbeing the same of windshowing the spring and connected parts in ing up the spring and unwinding it throughelevation, the spring being shown unduly disout its entire length. tended toillustrate it clearly. Fig. 2 is a View There are many important advantages showing the provision of adouble pinion and which result from the present improved conlack. struction of spring. The three principal ones 8o B represents the rail of a window-sash, in may be thus stated, and will be best underwhich said rail is made a bore b, in which is stood by comparison with the former spring: seated the springA. This springis atorsional In the former spring where the same-sized one, returning within itself, one of its ends wire was used throughout, the inner portion being secured to the axially-moving rod D, (that which returned within) being neces- 3 5 which carries the pinion E, and the other end sarily of smaller diameter than the outer porsecured to a non-rotary piece C, secured to tion, was consequently less elastic than the the sash. outerportion, and the spring did not exert F is the rack with which the pinion enitspower equally throughout its' entire length, gages. These parts are essentially the same as the elasticity of the inner portion was not 9o in arrangement as those in the previous pathad to the best advantage, it being stiffer and ent, and their operation is the san1e-namely, more rigid than the outer portion on account balancing the sash by the tension of the of its reduced diameter, and still maintaining spring effected through the engagement of the same size or thickness of wire. Now by the pinion with the rack. making the inner portion, or that which re- In the previous patent I set forth the adturns within, of a smaller-sized wire there is vantages of a torsional spring consisting of a not this difference between the outer and incoiled piece returned within itself, having one ner portions in elasticity, for the inner porof its ends fixed to a non-rotary bearing and tion has its elasticity increased and equals the other secured to a piece that has a rotary the outer portion in this respect, this result roo Nrrnio STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL JOHNSON, OF OAKLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE MARSHALL -IMPROVED \VINDO\V FURNITURE COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SAS H BALANC E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,492, dated Julyl, 1891.

Application led October 8, 1890. Serial No. 367,437. (No model.)

being due to the fact of making it of a 'sinalleresized wire. As a consequence the en: tire spring is equal in its power throughout its Whole length, and the best result is obtained. Again, in theformerspring the outer portion, being more elastic than the inner portion on account of its greater diameter, was caused in Winding up to reduce its di` ameter under the torsional strain faster or greater 1n proportion than the reduction of diameter of the inner portion', and as a consequence it came downl into contact With or contracted upon the inner portion, thereby producing friction; but in the present constructlon, the inner portion being equally elastic with the outer portion, their diameters are reduced equally and friction is avoided. The third advantage is more properly one of degree, and may be expressed by saying that Whereas the former spring enabled me to use a much shorter spring, and consequently a much shallower bore in the sash-rail than the ordinary single spring, the present spring enables me to use even a shorter spring than the former one, which result is due to equalizing the power and tension of the spring throughout its entire length to a much better advantage than in the former spring.

In heavy sashes it is sometimes found necessary to provide for a rack and pinion on each side of the sash, so as to avoid binding or cramping. To effect this result, I have shown in Fig. 2 the turn-rod D as much longer than the ordinary one, and as extending entirely through the rail of the sash and carrymg upon its opposite end a pinion E', which engages with a rack F. At the first end the connection of the spring is the same as before, but at the other end there is no connection, as the same spring` operates the entire rod and elfects through Vit the simultaneous action of the opposing pinions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a sash-balance or analogous device,the torsional spring consisting of an outer coiled piece or portion and aninner coiled piece or portion ret-urning within the outer piece or portion and made of a Wire or rod of smaller size lthan said outer piece or portion, the adjacent inner ends of said pieces or portions being connected and the adjacent outer ends the one secured to a non-rotary bearing and the other secured to a piece that has a rotary movement, substantially as herein described.

2. In a sash-balance or analogous device, the

torsional spring consisting of an outer coiled piece or portion and an inner coiled piece or portion returning Within the outer piece or portion and made of a Wire or rod of smaller size than said outer piece or portion, the inner adjacent ends of said pieces or portions being connected by an intermediate sleeve or thimble and their outer adjacent ends the one connected to a non-rotary bearing and the other secured to a piece that has a rotary movement, substantially as herein described.

3. In a sash-balance or analogous device, an axially-moving rod and a rack and pinion for operating the same, in combination with a torsional spring consisting of an outer coiled piece or portion and an inner coiled piece or portion returningwithin the outer pieceor portion and made ot' aWire or rod of smaller size than said outer' piece or portion, the inner ends of said pieces or portions being connected and their outer ends the one secured to the axially-moving rod and the other lixed to a non-rotary piece, substantially as herein described.

4. In a sash-balance or analogous device, an axially-moving rod and a rack and pinion for operating same, in combination with a torsional springconsistingof an outercoiled piece or portion and an inner coiled piece or portion returning Within the outer and of smaller size of Wire or rod, the inner adjacent ends of said pieces or portions being connected by an intermediate sleeve or thimble and their outer adjacent ends the one secured to the axially-moving rod and the other fixed to a non-rotary piece, substantially as herein de scribed.

5. Atorsional spring returned within itself and having its inner portion made of smaller Wire or rod than its outer portion, substantially as herein described.

6. A torsional spring consisting of an outer coiled piece or portion and an inner coiled piece or portion returning within the outer and made of a Wire or rod of smaller size, said pieces or portions being connected at one end of the spring, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

AXEL JOHNSON.

XVitnesses:

S. H. Nouasn, I1. C. IJEE.

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